It’s hard to believe September is almost here! But there it will be, this coming Thursday. I remember back in January, thinking June was a long way away. But then thinking, “By the time June gets here, July and August will fly by.”
And sure enough …
Speaking of September, here are my classes for September:
Saturday, September 3 at 1 pm: Mini Books #3
Thursday, September 8 at 6 pm: Introduction to Scrapbooking
Thursday, September 15 at 6 pm: Organization
Monday, September 19 at 6 pm: Mini Books #1
Please remember to bring your basic class kit to all classes: scissors, adhesive, ruler, cutter, pen/pencil.
I’ll be sending the Mini Books classes off for a well-deserved vacation at the end of September, so I can work on other ideas. So, if you\’ve been wanting to take the Mini Book classes, now is the time.
So, you ask, what are those other ideas? Oh, some fun paper techniques, slide mount altering, and a CASE book. More about those in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.
CHA Summer Review
Here’s a link to a comprehensive summary of the products debuted at CHA Summer last week.
http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Miscellaneous/Crops_and_Conventions/610.php
In particular, I’m very excited to see more personal cutter systems. But I’m still waiting for the Wishblade to come down in price. In the meantime, I guess I’ll have to use the one at The Scrapbook Shop!
Other things that look interesting to me are the stitched rub-ons from Autumn Leaves and the Asian Flare papers from a new company, Zsiage.
Check out the review and let me know what makes your ears perk up!
More Puppy Photos!
We made another visit to the Land of Scottie Pups tonight. I decided to put the money down for Macalester tonight too, before anything else in the house breaks and we can’t buy her!
The breeder has already introduced Macalester to a collar, so we won’t have that week of “I hate collars!” scratching that Scotties are so good at. Also, it looks like her ears are up again. The breeder is referring to her as Macalester, so she will have a pretty good idea of her name by the time she comes home.
Sarah was much calmer this time. Rachel was exhausted, and didn’t interact with the pup at all. Sarah kept running away from the pup because she was getting chewed on — even though I told her to stand her ground and gently move the pup away. Sarah was giving off all the signals for “chase me, chew on me!”. Maybe she’ll listen to me this week.
Macalester has a new nickname: Trouble. Oh Lord, she will be a handful! She has gone from cute Scottie puppy blob to cute Scottie mischief maker. Just like her sister, Sydney.
I’ll shut up now, and show the photos:
This is Baby Macalester with Sydney’s mama, Lacey
Baby Macalester and her Mama-to-be
It will be two weeks before we can see the pups again — the breeder is going out of town for a week. But then, sometime around September 9th, we can bring Macalester home. Our floors and hearts will never be the same!
Quick! Get Me Some Chocolate!!
Ever since the Club Scrap Retreat, I have been hopelessly addicted to chocolate. They just made it so … accessible. It was everywhere. All the time. Or so it seemed.
Back here at home, I have to go hunt for it. Which of course, results in major cravings. Oh, and the addition of five lbs. to my carcass. After losing ten. At least I still have a net loss. But I still want chocolate. Now.
Once upon a time, I didn’t even like chocolate. I call that time “my childhood”. Then I went to college. Where sweet little nuns would make little treats for us hard-working girls. Where the monks on Ice Cream Night would make sure to have several extra vats of chocolate and chocolate-mint ice cream on hand.
I blame the Benedictines for my habit. Ora et Labora — for chocolate. And then Labora, Labora, Labora to get it off my butt.
When Chalk Strikes
The one and only toy that my kids pick up and treat with loving kindness is … the six pack of chalk eggs I bought two years ago. Each time the Powers That Be create a clean slate for our front walk, the kids are out there, drawing.
This time I was out there with them (usually it is their father who is the Art Director), and captured a few things on screen:
When Pre-Schoolers Draw Flowers **** When Near-1st Graders Attempt to Write in Cursive
Silly Mama, What Made You Think Most of the Chalk was Going on the Sidewalk?
They Begged Me to Take This Shot. Really.
I think I have boyfriend-blackmail now. Just wait until they’re 16.
So, I Got Bored …
I decided to change the template on the blog. Hope you all like it, because I do. I got tired of the black. I must have been in a foul mood when I picked that template.
Not much to report in the last couple of days except that there will be changes coming in my second career — teaching scrapbooking. I don’t know all the details yet, but I have some hard decisions to make.
Then there’s my third career — teaching post-secondary writing. That’s a new one for you all. One I’ve decided to pursue since getting my M.S. in Tech Comm. I did apply for a temporary teaching position at my alma mater, but didn’t get the job. But, I did impress the dept. head and he wants to talk to me about other possibilities.
Gee — I work full-time with one very part-time job, and I’m looking for another part-time job. But then John is working 4 part-time jobs. The things you need to do to keep a house running these days … paying for the gas and medical expenses.
Working for the Pup
After Sarah’s hyper performance at the home of Baby Macalester’s breeder, John sat down to give her a long talk. (She’s already at the stage where she won’t listen to her mama…) She is so excited and anxious to have that baby dog home.
So, we have pulled out all our Scottie care books and I’ve downloaded a number of articles on kids and puppies. Sarah’s job will be to read all that material. Here’s where it pays to have a kid that can read!
I’ve also been quizzing Sarah and Rachel about basic puppy care, like the following:
Q: What do puppies eat?
A: Everything. We have to keep our toys picked up.
Q: Who can pick up the puppy?
A: Only Mama and Dada
Q: How do you hold a puppy?
A: I can hold the puppy in my lap when I sit on the floor.
Rachel, the ever-sharp kid, has the answers down cold. Sarah knows them, too, but keeps trying to expand on the point. I have to reminder her it’s not a debate. We need to know the breeder that they can trust all the family to take good care of Baby Macalester.
I think the message is coming through and being taken seriously.
All About Me
On the Club Scrap list, we\’re doing an All About Me challenge this month. I came up with this layout tonight (Note: Image no longer available. Carol Anne 8/18/2019), based in part on a layout I saw by Cathy Zielske. The layout is different, but I used some of the same questions she did (from the latest issue of SS). Others I modified or made up all by myself.
I like the look of this layout. The part that took the most time was typing all the text! I think I spent a total of 40 minutes on the layout. I have torn paper and chalk in it too.
I thought about using those cute brads that look like screw heads (I bought some two weeks ago). But that might be over the top. The page has a lot to it — there’s no need to clutter it up.
I love the timer on my digital camera, too. It\’s the only way I get pictures of myself these days.
PupDate
We got to see the puppies again today, after missing a week. They were outside playing in their pen when we stopped over. Another gal was there, looking for a boy-pup for her friends in Seattle. They may have made their selection by now, based on the photos she took.
Yes, I have pictures of Baby Macalester. She’s gotten bigger and is looking good.
Both of the girls got a chance to sit with the pup. Rachel was absolutely wonderful, although she wasn’t thrilled about the sharp puppy claws. She thinks Macalester is very cute and soft.
S
arah, on the other hand, was a total pain and not listening to us. She is very anxious to have a pup, because she misses Macalester dreadfully. But heranxiety is getting in the way of common sense. At least she didn’t drop the puppy, but she would let the pup walk off while she was yammering away.
Near the end of the visit, the male owner of the pups delivered a lecture on how kids should handle puppies. It was clear he was worried about the puppy’s well-being. Given Sarah’s behavior, I’m not surprised. I just hope she shapes up before the next visit, otherwise I’m afraid they may decide not to let us have the puppy.
Of course, I would just die if that happened.
On the way home, we made it clear to Sarah that the puppy will be Mama and Dada’s puppy — if we will be allowed to bring her home. We still don’t know when that will happen, but that’s OK.
Baby Macalester, if I had to rate her behavior, is definitely a Sydney. Right down to the full-body tail wagging when I sweet-talk to her and the licking of my toes. Whenever I put her down, she always came back looking for me. Maybe because I was the only one smart enough to realize she wanted her mom for a quick refill before more play.
The pups are 4 1/2 weeks old and had their first solid meal today. Last time I mentioned that Macalester’s ears were up. Well, as you can tell from these photos, they are definitely “down”. I hope they stay down until after we get her home. The whole ear raising process with Scotties is a funny and curious thing. She looks much less bear cub-like than she did two weeks ago. They grow so fast!
When we had to go, she looked so forlorn in the pen.
But then she stretched out by her brothers (she’s the one on the right), and settled down for a nap. It’s hard work being that cute!
Send good vibes that Sarah gets her act together. Otherwise, it’s going to be one awful lesson for her to have learned if we can’t bring the pup home.
Glamour Shots
I’m back a couple days from my now annual trip to Wisconsin for the August Club Scrap Retreat. One of the treats is we get two chances to glam up. So, using my sewing machine and a dress purchased for $6 at a consignment store, I did my best:This is as hot as this Mama will ever get.
Oh, here’s a thought … I have to go out of town to an event that is 98% female before I have a reason to get dressed up?
Did I mention I got a rose and chocolates on my bed one night?
There was wine and cheese in the fridge, too.
But, alas, no latte’ machine.
One of the benefits of this trip is getting to see my internet friends that I email throughout the year. Here’s Wava (on the left) and Tracey (obviously on the right). An outdoor glamour shot!
Gee, these two look good in street clothes. The secret must be all that Wisconsin cheese.
We had a fun, loud lunch together. I’m looking forward to going back again next year — and I hope I can convince Wava and Tracey to drive down Highway 29 to give us a visit in Minnesota.